Waterproofing composition and process of making same



UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE.

GEORGE C. BAILEY, OF WOODOLIFF-ON-HUDSON, NEW JERSEY, AND EELIX BOETTNER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS. TO THE BARRETT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WATERPROOFING COMPOSITION AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

No Drawing. Application filed April 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE C. BAILEY and FELIX BoET'rNER, citizens of (1) the United States and (2) Germany, respectively, residing at (1) VVoodcliff-on-Hudson, New Jersey, and (2) New York city, N. Y., in the counties of (1) Hudson and (2) New York and States of (1) New Jersey and (2) New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vaterproofing Compositions and Processes of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a composition which may be used to waterproof various fabrics and the process of preparing such a composition.

The invention has for its object, the preparation of a superior product for waterproofing canvas and similar fabrics and preserving such fabrics from deterioration by raildew. The waterproofing product herein described may be readily prepared from materials which are quite abundant and it may be easily applied to the fabric. The treated cam'as possesses great imperviousness to water, is sufficiently pliable to be worked readily under wide ranges of temperature, does not fade, or discolor objects with which it comes in contact and is not susceptible to mildew or mold growth which shortens the life of an unprotected fabric.

The composition produced in accordance with this invention consists of certain high boiling bituminous distillates of coal tar, known as pitch resin or pitch resin distillates, and high boiling tar acids with a small amount of suitable wax in a solution of benzene or its higher homologues, such,

stood for example, as the isomeric xylenes or the trimethyl be'nzene's, commonly known as solvent naphtha and high flash naphtha.

By the term pitch resin is to be underthe semi-solid to solid bitumen of high boiling point obtained from coal tar which may be secured during the coking of hard coal-tar pitch, as well as from the last fractions of coal-tar distillation from continuous coal-tar stillsQ This pitch resin is an orange colored gummy mass, softening at about C. and darkening upon exposure to air. The bituminous distillates or so called pitch resin may properly be referred Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 375,723.

to as bitumen, within the standard definition of bitumen as given by the American Society for Testing Materials. They are semi-solid to solid at ordinary atmospheric temperatures, and boil at high temperatures.

It is to be understood that the term pitch resin distillates refers to the greases, oils and transparent hard resins which may be prepared, for example, from the original pitch resin by the methods described in our application, Ser. No. 333,820, filed Oct. 27 1919, in which the pitch resin is extracted with a solvent, filtered, and the filtrate residue is distilled under a vacuum after the solvent has been evaporated, thereby producing a refined bitumen of high boiling point. The pitch resin and the pitch resin distillates will be herein referred to as semi-solid to solid bitumen of high boiling point obtained from coaltar. I

The high boiling tar acids are higher boiling than the cresols and possess greater bac-. tericidal coeflicientsthan phenol or the cresols. The exact chemical composition of these tar acids is not known but as they are entirely soluble in caustic soda, they are thus known to be hydroxy derivatives of some aromatic nucleus. These acids are found in small amounts in coal tars of United States and are abundant in distillates of Scottish blast furnace tars and may be readily obtained from the residues left after the distillation of the ordinary cresylic acids. For use in producing the composition of this invention, it is not necessary that they be purified. It is to be understood that the term high .boiling tar acids includes all such hydroxy compounds obtained from coal-tar boiling above the cresols. A very wide range is permissible in the amount of acid that is to be used, a smaller amount of the.

very high boiling acids being generally required than of the lower boiling ones. fraction of one per cent; of acid is sometimes found to be sufiicient, though a larger amount may be used if desired.

The wax ingredient be such mineral a waxes as parafiin or I ontan; vegetable then dried in festoons,

is necessary in themixture to securepliability of the saturated canvas and to increase its water resisting properties.

The solvent used in the waterproofing composition may be any cheap coal-tar oil or petroleum distillate or mixture of these in which the bitumen (pitch resin or its distillates), the wax and tar acids are soluble. It is preferable to, use a refined solvent naphtha or refined high flash naphtha, which naphthas are composed of benzene homo- .logues such as di-methyl and tri-methyl-benzenes, although crude unwashed solvents are not precluded from use.

I The process of preparing the composition consists in dissolving the pitch resin or its distillates and the wax in the solvent, with application of heat if necessary and the addition of tar acids. Any vessel of suitable size may be used and agitation is preferable. The exact proportions may be varied to suit the requirements of the fabric to be treated. For example 2.5 lbs. of pitch resin fluxed with 0.07 lbs. of parafiin may be dissolved in 7.5 lbs. .of high flash coal-tar naphtha and 0.025 lbs. of highboiling tar acids added.

In treating fabrics, the fabric may be passed through the above solution and the excess liquor squeezed out by a wringer and or the solution may be applied bya brush which may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art. The above composition is taken up by the fibers of the fabric and the fabric is stained.

In usage it may be extended to waterproofing canvas and other fabrics for tents,

I wagon covers, hatch covers on ships, or

other such coverings exposed to weather, sacks for cement, grain and many other similar uses. It is not primarily intended for waterproofing clothing but may be used for this purpose, if desired.

Such treated canvas may be sewed with the ordinary machines intended for such purposes. The heat generated from the friction of the needle on the cloth serves to .or by other means soften the wax and bitumen and the softened bitumen impregnates the thread thereby rendering it waterproof and making it unnecessary to retreat the thread or seams to avoid leakage, The color of the canvas is yellow changing to an orange brown upon exposure to strong sunlight. Since there is no black or tarry bitumen inthe fabric, there is no danger of objects becoming discolored upon contact with the saturated canvas.

The covering power of a solution will depend largely upon the amount of bitumen desired in the fabric. For example, a gallon ofthe above specified solution will saturate about 20 square yards of number four canvas. The canvas dries quickly due to the evaporation of the solvent and may be worked soon after saturation. By using a -mor e concentrated solutionof the pitch 3. The process of making a waterproof composition which comprises dissolving pitch resin, wax, and a high boiling acid in a common solvent.

. 4. The process of making a waterproof composition which comprises dissolving a mixture .of pitch resin, and wax in naphtha and adding a small amountcof a high boiling acid.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

GEORGE. o. BAILEY. FELIX BOETTNER. 

